Broken Leg

What is a broken leg?

A leg fracture is a crack or break in one of bones of the
leg. These include the femur (the large bone of the upper
leg), the tibia (shin bone), or the fibula (calf bone).

Your child's bones are different than those of an adult.
First, they are more flexible. Sometimes the bones crack
like green branches from a live tree instead of snapping
like a dry stick. Other times the bones just buckle
slightly. The second major difference is that a child's
bones are still growing from areas near the end of the bones
called growth plates. Fractures in the growth plate can be
difficult to see on the x-ray and they may affect the growth
of the bone. Sometimes special tests are needed to diagnose
fractures in this area.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of a broken leg include:

severe pain

inability to walk

swelling

a grating feeling when the leg is moved caused by the
broken bones moving against each other

muscle spasms

an obvious deformity of the leg.

How is it diagnosed?

Your child's health care provider will talk to you and your
child about how the leg was injured, examine the leg and any
other injured areas, and take an x-ray of the leg.

How is it treated?

The treatment for your child's broken leg will depend on the
type of break. Sometimes when the fracture is mild it can
be treated with a splint. More severe fractures need to be
put in a cast. Sometimes surgery is needed.

Your child may need to use crutches for several weeks after
the injury.

How can I help take care of my child?

To reduce swelling keep the injured leg elevated on pillows
when your child is resting. For the first day or two, put
ice packs on the injured leg. Put the ice pack on for 10
minutes and then leave it off for at least 20 minutes before
putting it on again.

Most cast material is not made to get wet. If your child
needs a cast that can get wet, talk to your provider about a
water friendly cast.

Don't let your child scratch around or poke things down the
cast as this may lead to an infection.

How long will the effects last?

Children tend to heal faster than adults, but healing times
vary from one child to the next. As a rule most fractures
heal in 4 to 6 weeks. Your child's provider may repeat
x-rays to check on the pace of healing 2 or 3 weeks after
the injury. If the bones are healing well your child may be
able to put weight on the leg after a few weeks.

Depending on the type of injury and how it was treated, your
child may need to do rehabilitation exercises. Most of the
time children are so active that they regain strength and
flexibility without physical therapy.

This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to
change as new health information becomes available. The
information is intended to inform and educate and is not a
replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or
treatment by a healthcare professional.